1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to sanding blocks and, more particularly, to sanding blocks that are flexible so that they can be used for sanding curved objects.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to hand-held sanding blocks, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,457,045, 3,557,496, 3,699,729, 4,676,031, and 5,662,519. Among these patents, each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,557,496, 3,699,729, and 5,662,519 discloses a hand-held sanding device that includes a flexible abrasive portion that is suitable for sanding curved objects. In addition, each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,457,045 and 4,676,031 may be of interest for its disclosure of a hand-held sanding device that includes a rigid, planar abrasive portion.
More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,557,496 discloses a flexible abrasive tool that has a flexible abrasive substrate and two rigid handles located at opposite ends of the substrate. For most efficient operation, two hands are needed to grasp the two handles. However, for many purposes, it would be desirable if a flexible hand-held sanding device could be used that only requires one hand for efficient usage.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,729 discloses a hand-held sanding tool in which a flexible sanding belt is spaced apart from a handle. Because the work-contacting portion of the sanding belt is spaced apart from the handle, a limited amount of pressure can be applied to the sanding belt. To apply greater pressure to a hand-held sanding device, it would be desirable if the work-contacting portion is in direct contact with handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,519 discloses a hand-held sanding device which includes a flexible sanding portion and a flexible handle. However, the flexibility of the handle is constant. There is no provision for adjusting the flexibility of the handle. There are circumstances, however, when it would be desirable if the flexibility of the handle could be adjusted. Flexibility adjustments of the handle may be desirable for objects to be sanded that have differing radii of curvature. Also, flexibility adjustments of the handle may be desirable for different flexible abrasive-holding portions.
Still other features would be desirable in hand-held sanding device. Not only would it be desirable if the flexibility of the handle could be adjusted, it would be desirable if the adjustment of the flexibility of the handle could be carried out in distinct increments. Moreover, it would be desirable if the incremental adjustment of handle flexibility could be accomplished by interchangeable, modular flexibility adjustment elements.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use hand-held sanding devices that have flexible work-contacting abrasive-carrying elements, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest an adjustable flexibility sanding apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) requires only one hand for efficient usage; (2) has a work-contacting portion that is in direct contact with the handle that supports the work-contacting portion; (3) provides for adjustment of the flexibility of the handle; (4) provides for handle flexibility adjustments to be carried out in distinct increments; and (5) provides that incremental adjustment of handle flexibility is accomplished by interchangeable, modular flexibility adjustment elements. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique adjustable flexibility sanding apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.
To achieve the foregoing and other advantages, the present invention, briefly described, provides a sanding apparatus which includes a flexible base member which includes a base member bottom side and a base member top side. A quantity of abrasive material is attached to the base member bottom side. A flexible handle is positioned above the base member top side, and attachment means are provided for attaching the flexible base member to the flexible handle. The adjustable flexibility sanding apparatus of the invention can be bent and curved to be used for sanding curved surfaces, such as curved surfaces on automobile bodies. The flexible handle includes a pair of finger grip grooves. The flexible base member is made from stainless steel. The abrasive material is in a form of a sheet of sandpaper which is adhesively bonded to the base member bottom side.
Rod reception brackets are attached to the base member top side, and one or more flexibility adjustment rods are received in the rod reception brackets. The rod reception brackets include bracket rod reception channels which receive the flexibility adjustment rods. Each of the rod reception brackets includes three bracket rod reception channels.
The attachment means for attaching the flexible base member to the flexible handle can include adhesive action between the flexible handle and the flexible base member when the flexible handle is molded to the flexible base member. In this respect, the flexible handle can be made from a flexible foam material.
Also, the attachment means for attaching the flexible base member to the flexible handle can include attachment wings on the rod reception brackets and wing reception spaces in the flexible handle which receive the attachment wings. The flexible handle includes handle rod reception channels which are in registration with the bracket rod reception channels. Flexible plastic rod reception tubes are received in the bracket rod reception channels and the handle rod reception channels. Preferably, the bracket rod reception channels are positioned adjacent to the base member top side such that the rod reception tubes are flush with the base member top side when the rod reception tubes are installed in the bracket rod reception channels. In addition, each of the flexibility adjustment rods includes a rod handle portion.
The flexibility adjustment rods can be provided as a set of a plurality of flexibility adjustment rods which have increasing resistance to bending.
The above brief description sets forth rather broadly the more important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contributions to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will be for the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining a preferred embodiment of the invention in detail, it is understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood, that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved adjustable flexibility sanding apparatus which has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved adjustable flexibility sanding apparatus which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved adjustable flexibility sanding apparatus which is of durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable flexibility sanding apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such adjustable flexibility sanding apparatus available to the buying public.
Still yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable flexibility sanding apparatus which requires only one hand for efficient usage.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable flexibility sanding apparatus that has a work-contacting portion that is in direct contact with the handle that supports the work-contacting portion.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable flexibility sanding apparatus which provides for adjustment of the flexibility of the handle.
Even another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable flexibility sanding apparatus that provides for handle flexibility adjustments to be carried out in distinct increments.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable flexibility sanding apparatus which provides that incremental adjustment of handle flexibility is accomplished by interchangeable, modular flexibility adjustment elements.
These together with still other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.